By Laura Hoksbergen

Features Editor

Everyone ``knows'' that we should not have class on Good Friday. But before you start picketing the Commons lawn, take a moment out of your day to meditate on what Christ did for us on Good Friday (which is, of course, the reason that you are against having classes in the first place).

Calvin may not cancel classes, but they do offer two one-hour-long services in which students may come and worship before leaving for the weekend.

The tenebrae service is not merely a Calvin novelty, however. Historically, it comes from an ancient medieval service begun by monastic priests and is now practiced by many modern Christian churches.

Cindy deJong, the Coordinator of Chapel worship, along with Karen Bulthuis and Keith Armstrong, has brought together what promises to be a moving Good Friday service for this campus.

``This service is for meditation on Christ's suffering,'' said deJong. ``We hear the story from the Gospels and are drawn in visually by the symbol of the cross and by the candles.''

The readings follow the Jesus' story from his passion to his death. These sections of Gospel text are each followed by songs, some sung by soloists, others by choirs, others by the congregation.

Readers this year include Bob Crowe, Larissa Theule, and Bob Hubbard.

``We try to balance the readers among gender, professors and students,'' said deJong, ``but who is going to read is never an easy decision to make.''

After each segment, another candle is extinguished.

Because the word ``tenebrae'' means ``shadows'' or ``darkness,'' great emphasis is placed on the extinguishing of the candles placed on the FAC stage. As each candle goes out, so do sections of the lighting in the auditorium, until the room is in total darkness.

DeJong has arranged the service so that a variety of people can be involved. Professor Laura Smit from the Religion department will be giving a message.

The women's chorale, a new choir directed by Pearl Shangkuan, will be singing some of the music.

The cover art on the program was done by Amy VanderWal and Thom Retsema will be in charge of the ``strepitus'' at the end of the service.

As each candle is extinguished, the worshippers are encouraged to stop for a moment and consider Christ's passion.

``It's important on Good Friday to recognize the sacrifice that Jesus made for us,'' deJong emphasized. ``Not to the extent that we become self-pitying or even Christ-pitying, but so that we can in some small way participate in, or at least recognize, his sufferings.''

The final candle is extinguished after the reading about Jesus' burial and the auditorium is left in total darkness.

It is in this darkness and silence that the ``strepitus,'' a loud cymbal crash occurs. This overwhelming sound is to remind us of the importance of what has just happened.

``In a normal church we would simply leave the service at Jesus' death,'' said deJong. ``But if we do that here, we have no way of celebrating Christ's victory together. So we don't allow it to rest, but instead look ahead and anticipate Easter.''

Symbolically, a lit candle is brought back into the auditorium to remind us that Christ will ultimately triumph.

The lights of the auditorium are brought back up slightly and the congregation sings one last song.

This year, the song is the last verse of ``When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.''

``...Were the whole realm of nature mine

that were a present far too small

love so amazing, so divine

demands my soul, my life, my all...''

``The hope is that people will be confronted with what Christ did for us and respond in love and gratitude,'' said deJong.

The services will be held on Friday at 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Students who don't have class at 11:30 are encouraged to attend that service, to avoid overflow at the later service.

``It's a good way to start your weekend,'' said deJong. ``We can start off the weekend by worshipping, before we all leave for our respective homes.''